Simeon Naydenov has become only the second Bulgarian to win a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet after victory in Event #36: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em (NLHE) Shootout.
Naydenov became one to watch, within European poker circles, after cashing in every single Unibet Open event during the 2010 Season; resulting in his Player of the Year (POY) award.
It was Naydenov’s second Shootout final table of the series after finishing a disappointing 10th place in Event #9; an event his friends said he ‘spewed a little too much’. Fortunately, the bulky Bulgarian was given a second chance and boy did he take it.
“I think my friends back home are going to start calling me Simeon the Shootout,” Naydenov told the PokerNews sideline reporter Lynn Gilmartin after his win.
The Bulgarian took $326,440 after topping a field that contained the likes of Nacho Barbero (5th), Mike Watson (7th) and Salman Behbehani (8th).
“I had a feeling I would win. It’s the biggest win of my career so far.” Said Naydenov.
Michael Moore is the $5k WSOP Limit Champion
Michael Moore has been cashing at the WSOP since 1995 and he can now call himself a WSOP champion after taking down Event #37: $5,000 Limit Hold’em (LHE) for a first prize of $211,743.
170-players decided that the more pedestrian form of Hold’em was worth a $5k shot at gold, and the final table was a whose who of poker talent – making Moore’s victory all the more impressive.
The elusive gold bracelet is still evading Justin Bonomo. The former European Poker Tour (EPT) Grand Final Super High Roller champion was the first big gun to be eliminated from the final table in ninth. Multiple WSOP bracelet winner Greg Mueller was making his third final table of this series; but the giant Canadian had to make do with eighth, and the man who himself took a LHE bracelet at last years series – Ronnie Bardah – took third. That left the old-timer Moore facing the young Internet wizard Gabriel Nassif, for the title, and it was settled after trip tens on the turn overcame the top pair of Nassif making sure the gold remained in the USA.
Pham Loving the Short-Handed Action
David Pham is on course for his second final table of the series as he leads the final eight players in Event #38: $2,500 NLHE Four-Handed. The Day One chip leader, Nick Schwarmann, is still in contention but the main threat will come in the form of the multiple WSOP bracelet winner John Juanda who is sitting in fifth place. The Canadians are once again well represented with Jonathan D’Souza and Justin Oliver brining up the rear.
Vengrin The Stud
Matt Vengrin is the man in charge of Event #39: $1,500 Seven-Card Stud Hi-Low 8-or-Better, holding nearly twice as many chips as Tony Gill and Joseph Hertzog in second and third respectively. Vengrin has an impressive WSOP scorecard but the win is still proving elusive for him.
Phil Hellmuth headed to the cash desk in 42nd place but there are still some potentially wonderful stories to be told with four-time WSOP bracelet holders Artie Cobb and Layne Flack being joined in the Day Three field by the Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson.
Red Hot Fierro Leads the $1.5k
The WSOP crowd first heard of Nicolas Fierro back in 2011 when two six-figure scores grabbed him some ESPN airtime. The native of Chile is the chip leader in Event #40: $1,500 NLHE as 244-players remain from a starting field of 2,161.
Jeremy Ausmus, Tuan Le, Jason Wheeler and Matt Salsberg some of the better-known names to escape the cull.
Mizzi Getting Busy
400-players entered Event #41: $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) – Six Handed, and only 117 have made it through to a second day of play. Sorel Mizzi and Chad Brown lead an impressive top ten that includes Matt Giannetti (6th), Juha Helppi (7th), Davidi Kitai (9th) and Shaun Deeb (10th).
